Activate sets £10m target after D&D Conferences merger

Sussex-based event management company Activate has set its sights on reaching £10 million turnover after acquiring D&D Conferences.

Founded in 2011, Activate has grown business to a turnover of £6.5m says MD Paul Bowie, and after the smaller D&D Conferences is merged into Activate’s Crawley offices he is targeting further rapid growth.

Activate, which works largely in the pharma sector, will accommodate D&D Conferences’ two full time staff and one consultant, who will relocate from Egham in Surrey, bringing Activate staff numbers to 19.

D&D Conferences brings production expertise to complement Activate’s logistical knowledge, Bowie added, alongside a client base in IT and finance. The value of the merger deal has not been disclosed.

“We want to create a larger entity that can deliver more for a wider range of clients,” Bowie said. “We are five years old and our turnover last year was around £6.5m. We have come a long way and this is about creating a business that’s rounded and is able to offer everything as a full service agency. My next target is a £10m turnover within the next two to three years.”